Tire-flap-making machine.



W, C. STEVENS.

' TIRE FLAP MAKING MACHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1913.

Patented J an, 25, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. C. STEVENS.

TIRE FLAP MAKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 31.1913.

1,169,204. Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W, C. STEVENS.

TIRE FLAP MAKING MACHINE. APPucA'noN FILED JULY 31, 191s.

Patented Jan. 25, .1916.

a SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATE PATENT @FFEQE.

\VILLIAM C. STEVENS, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRDN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TIRE-FLAP-MAKING MACHINE.

Application filed July 31, 1913.

T01! whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM C. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States. residing at Akron. in the county of Summit and State of Ohio. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-l lap-Making Machines. of which the following is a vspecification.

in pneumatic tires consisting of an outer casing and an inner tube it is usual to provide a flap which overlaps the gap between the two edges of the casing to form a smooth bearing for the inner tube and to prevent the same catching ben nth and being pinched by the casing. This Hap. although commonly formed of material other than the material of the casing. is sometimes connected along one edge to the edge of the casing while the other edge of the flap is left free. The flap is ordimirily composed of laminations. each succeeding layer of fabric being slightly narrower than the one beneath whereby it is rendered thicker along the center than at the edges and is moreover preferably cupped transversely to conform to the contour of the casing and tube with which it associated in use.

The object of the invention is the provision of a simple and etlicient apparatus for the manufacture of flap stock.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is set forth in the accompanying drawings and in the description based thereon. As, however. the invention is capable of embodiment in other and varied constructional forms the drawings and description are to.

be taken in an illustrative rather than in an unnecessarily limiting sense.

In the drawings Figure 1 a side elevation of a preferred form of the machine; Fig. 2 is a top plan view: Fig. is an enlarged detail showingtwo sets of applying rolls and supply drum: Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of the dusting device; Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line S of Fig. 1: Fig. 3 is a similar section on the line (3 6 of Fig. 1: and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the product.

The machine comprises generally speak ing, a pair of longitudinal members 11, ll suitably tied together at intervals in spaced relation and supported by the uprights l2,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25. 1918.

Serial No. 732,175.

12 and the braces 13. At intervals longitudinally of the machine are mounted in pairs standards 14. 15, 10. 1T. 18 and 19, serving respectively to support arms and bearings for the frictioned fabric supply spools Z0, 21. 2 2+ and respectively while below the machine frame at the rear end is journaled a supply spool 2b. In the lower portion of the several pairs of standards are journaled feed rolls 2?, 2!), 30, and 31 while above the feed rolls are mounted in spring pressed bearings pressure rolls 32. 33. 34, 35 and 36. In advance of the standards 19 is suitably 'journaled another set comprising a feed roll 37 and a pressure roll 38. A drive sprocket 39 is loosely mounted upon the shaft of the feed roll 37 and is' connected by means of the chain 40 with a sprocket 41 upon the shaft 42 which latter is driven by means of the pulley +5; and the belt it from a motor 45 or other suitable source of power. Upon the shaft it; of the feed roll 37 is keyed a,

smaller sprocket 47. and upon the shaft of each of the feed rolls 2! 30 and 31 is mounted a pair of sprockets l8 and upon the shaft of the feed roll 27 a single sprocket 48. these several sprockets are interconnected by means of sprocket chains 49, 49, whereby the several feed rolls are uniformly driven from the motor 1'5.

Lpon the shafts of the feed rolls 2? and 37 are likewise mounted hand wheels and 51 by means of which the feed rolls may be turned in either direction when desired. Yet in advanceof the feed and pressure rolls 3?. 38 is mounted a box having a hopper-shaped bottom 53 adapted to contain a quantity of talc or soap stone 5-1. This box has journated in its side walls a dusting wheel 55 which has upon its periph ery a series of flexible vanes 56 each com posed of felt or similar fabric secured to the wheel by tacks 5T. ST or other suitable means. The shaft 5% of the dusting wheel carries a pulley 59 connected by the cross belt 60 with the hub 31 of the drive s n-ocket 32).

In advance of the dusting box 5'. mounted a tension device comprising three idler rolls 62, (33, bl intergeared by means of tooth pinions 65, 66, (37, the middle roll Cir 80 roll 28 and its pressure roll 33, and so on the the greatest width of the flap to be produced, and upon the supplyspools 20, 21, 22, .23, and 2d, are wound strips of fabric re-" v spectively decreasing in width, the spool 25 observedthat the strip of fabric 80 withcarrying a fabric strip slightly less in width than the bottom layer of th'e'fin'ished flap. The fabric strips from the spools 26, 20, 21, 22. 23, 2st and 25 are designated in Figs. 1 and 7 of the drawing as 80, 81, 82,

83, 84, and 86 respectively It will be the strip 81 superposed thereon is introduced between the first feed roll 27 and its pressure roll 32 whereby the. two are brought into intimate pressure contact and caused to adhere one to the other. The resultant duplexstrip with the strip 82 superposed thereon is then introduced between the feed laminated product from one set of feed and pressure rolls is introduced to the next set wlth another strip from the succeeding supply spool superposed in' proper relation unt the set of rolls 37, 38 are passed when the resultant strip 87 made up of many layers passes through vthe dusting box 52 above the dusting wheel 55, the soap stone or talc being thrown by the vanes 56 upon the lower faceof the stri The strip is led above the tension roll 65;

below the tension 'roll 66, and above the te-n sion roll 67-, and then through a delivery shoe'or guide 88, the up-turned edges of which engage the outside of a take-up or cupping drum 71,and center it on the drum.

The take-up drum is formed with a peripheral gropve or channel 89, which is narrower than the width of the flapunder construction, .and comprises a concave bottom, and

" straight parallel wings. It will be' seen that as the flap stock passes through the guide 88, its edges meet'the wings of the take-up drum, and asthe flap is being drawn under tension from the rolls 62, 63 and 64 by the" slightly faster movement of the drum, and

because of the concave shapeof the bottom of the drum, it will assume the desired-trans.

verse curvature, which is fixed by curing;

In order to properly center each fabric supply spool there are mounted above the respective sets of feed and pressure rolls arms 90 carrying bearing rods 91,, for the supply spools, the rods 91 havingthereon adjustable side stops 92, 92 which retain the spool in proper position.

Mounted on the front face of each pair of standards and extendingacross the path ..of the fabric entering between the feed and presser' rolls are three rods .93, 94-, and 95, the lower strip or strips of adhering fabric passing between the rods 93 and 94 and the strip from t'lie'supplylspool to be superposed thereon pasing between rods 94 and 95. The rods 93 and 95 each carry a pairof spaced gage stops or fingersQfi; the function of these gage stops being to center-each superposed strip and theunderlying Stl1])S.

with reference to each other as they enter between the succeeding feed and pressure rolls.

In order to drive the take-up drum independently of the feed and pressure rolls, whereby to wind a suitable cloth wrapping about the. completed flap thereon preparatory' to curing, the drive sprocket. 39, its hub 61 and the pulley 78 are locked together or formed integraland are loosely mounted on the shaft 46, and a suitable clutch, indicated generally at 97, is provided whereby these members may at will be connected to or disconnected from the shaft-46 sprocket 47 is keyed.

Each of the feed-rolls 28, 29, 30, 31 and to which the 37 is of very slightly greater diameter than the preceding roll whereby the peripheral speed of each roll is slightly greater than that of its predecessor and the peripheral speed of the take-up drum 71 is also slightly greater than the peripheral speed of the last feed roll '37. In this way it is provided 'that the flat strip as it proceeds through the machine is subjected to stretching and is' held taut, and 'as it is finally wound upon the take-up drum it is by its own tension compactly wound. upon the drum and caused to conform to the concave contour of the groove) \Vhen'the supply from any sp'oolis exhausted the machine'will be stopped and a new spool placed in position. If by chance the exhaustion of the supply from any spool is not noticed until the rear end has, passed through the next set of rolls the hand wheels 50 and 51 provide means whereby, the machine'having been stopped, all of the feed rolls may in unison be given a reverse mov ement and the fabric caused to retrace its course'until that portionof the flap having the interrupted layer is brought back to a position where the forward end. from a new spool may be inserted. Upon such re verse movement of the machine it is obvious that the difference in peripheral speed of the feed rolls-will causea slackness inthe strip between the several rolls, this slackness' being again taken up when the" forward motion of the machine is resumed; ,If' found desirable the last supply spool 25 may contain a strip of fabric wider thanxthose immediately preceding and of substantiallythe same width as the bottom strip supplied by the spool 26 so that the resultant flap will have a smooth upper as well as lower surface; but, preferably, the upper strip 86 of fabric is made slightly less than the bottom strip so that a narrow margin of but one thickness of fabric is secured as indicated in Fig. 7.

I claim:

1. In a machine of th character-described, the combination of aseries of supply spools carrying fabric, a series of sets of feed and pressure rolls arranged to receive adhering strips of fabric from the preceding rolls and a superp -d strip of fabric from a supply spool. and a take-up drum having a grooved periphery of less width than the fiap.whereby to cup the latter, and means to drive the feedrolls and drum. substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a series of supply spools carrying fabric, a series of sets of feed and pressure rolls each arranged to receive adhering strips of fabric from the preceding rolls and a strip of superposed fabric from a supply spool, means to drive the successive rolls at a progressively increasing peripheral speed, a take-up drum having a grooved periphery of less width than the flap whereby to cup the latter, and means to drive the drum at a peripheral speed in excess of that of the last feed roll, substantially described.

3.1n a machine of the character described. the combination of a series of suprolls and a strip of superposed fabric from I a supply spool, successive rolls having a progressively greater diameter, means to drive the successive rolls in unison. a takeup drum ,having a grooved periphery of less width than the flap whereby to cup the latter. and means to drive the-drum at a peripheral speed in excess of that of the last feed roll. substantially as described.

a In a machine of the character described. the combination of a series of supply spools carrying fabric. a series of sets of feed and pressure rolls arranged to receive adhering strips of fabric from the pre ceding rolls and a superposed strip of fabric from a supply spool. a dusting box traversed by the flap. means therein to apply the contents of the box to the flap. and a t; l-:e-up drum having a grooved periphery of less width than the flap whereby to cup the latter. and means to drive the feed rolls and drum. substantially as described.

5.111 a machine of the character described, the combination of a series of supply spools carrying fabric, a series of sets of feed and pressure rolls arranged to re ceive adhering strips of fabri from the preceding rolls and a superposed strip of fabric from a supply spool. a dusting box traversed by the flap, a vane wheel therein to throw the contents of the l)()?\' upon the -preceding rolls and a strip of superposed fabric from a supply spool, means to drive the successive rolls at a progressively increasing peripheral speed. a dusting box traversed by the flap, a vane wheel'therein to throw the contents of the box upon the flap, a take-up drum having a grooved periphery of less \v-idth than the flap whereby' to cup the latter, and means to drive the drum at a peripheral speed in excess of that of the last feed roll, substantially as described.

T. In a machine of the character described. the combination of a series of supply spools carrying fabric. a series of sets of feed and pressure rolls each arranged to receive adhering strips of fabric from the preceding rolls and a strip of superposed fabric from a supply spool. means to drive the successive rolls at a progressively in creasing peripheral speed. means to reverse the direction of rotation of the rolls, a dusting boXtraversed by the flap, rotary means therein to apply tte contents of the box to the flap. tension rolls traversed by the flap, a take-up drum having a grooved periphery of less width than the flap whereby to cup the latter, and means to drive the drum at a peripheral speed in excess of that of the last feed-roll, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the chaacter described, the combination of a series of'supply rolls carrying fabric, a series of sets of feed and pressure rolls arranged to receive' adhering strips of fabric frcn1 the preceding rolls and a superposed strip of fabric from a supply spool, and means to drive the successive rolls at a prbgr'essively increasing peripheral speed. substantially.

a supply roll, means to guide the adln ring strip of fabric between the pressure rolls, and independentmeans to guide the superposed strip of fabric with relation to the the rolls, and means to reverse the direction of IOtiltlOILQf the rolls, substantially as de-,

scribed.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a series of supply spools carrying fabric. a series of sets of feed and pressure rolls arranged to receive adhering strips of fabric "from the preceding rolls and a superposcd strip of fabric from a supply roll. and a take-up drum having a grooved periphery of less width than the flap wl'ierehvto cup the latter, and means to' drive the feed rolls and drum simultaneously, and a chitch interposed in the driving mechanism whereby to enable the drum to be driven indepeiidentlv of the rolls, siibstantiall as described.

12. In a machine'of the character described, the combination of a source of stock supply of a determined width. a cuppingroll narrower than the stock. and means to wind iipthe stock on said cupping roll.v

13. In -a machine of the -haracter described, the (.OlllbilliltlOll of a source of stock supply of a determined width. a cupping roll narrower than the stock, a guide to di rect the stock onto the cupping roll and means to wind upthe stock on said cupping roll. a

HfIu a machine of the character described, the combination of means for making laminated flap stock, a :take-up and shaping roll having a channeh'thesides of which are spaced apart less than the width of the flap. and means to wind up the flap stock on the take-up roll.

. 15 In a machine of the character described, the combinationof means for mak-, ing laminated -flap stock, a take-up and shaping roll having a channel, the sides of which are spaced apart less than the width of the flap and the bottom of which is concaved, and means to wind upthe' flap stock on a take-up roll.

16.'In a'machine'of the character described, the combination of means for making laminated flap stock, a take-up and shaping roll having a channel. the sides of which are spaced apart. less than the-width 'ot' the flap, and means. to wind up the flap stock'under tension on the take-up roll.

17. In a machine of the character described, the" combination of means, for making laminated flap stock, a' take-up and shaping roll having a channel, the sides of which are spaced apart less than the width of, the flap and the bottom of which is con- .caved. and 'means to wind up the flap stock iiiider tension on the take-lip roll.

18. In a machine of' the character described. the combination ot' neans for makin; laminated flap stock, a tal e.-iip' and shaping roll having a channel, the sides of caved.-'a guide to direct the stock onto the take-up roll, and means to wind up the flap stock under tension on the take-up roll.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two wit;

nesses. 1

} WILLIAM c. STEV ENS. Witnesses -S. G. CARRHUFF, T. L. RODGERS. 

